IT TAKES TWO: “It’s a first for me, decorating a couple,” exclaimed Jean-Yves Le Drian, France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, who awarded Patrick and Ingie Chalhoub with the Legion of Honor, France’s highest civilian distinction, on Tuesday night at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris.
In the crowd were a number of high-profile executives who have done business with the Dubai-based retail entrepreneurs, including Sidney Toledano, chairman and ceo of LVMH Fashion Group, and Bruno Pavlovsky, Chanel’s president of fashion.

Sidney Toledano and Bruno Pavlovsky.
Courtesy

The rising, rain-choked Seine river that could be seen from the windows nearly put a stop to the proceedings, said Le Drian, who saluted the couple’s contributions to promoting French art de vivre and the country’s luxury sector in the Middle East.
“You are each an ambassador of France, you have built a bridge between two worlds, two civilizations, around a dialogue built on a union of culture and commerce, a diplomatic feat in itself,” he said, describing the couple as “two artisans passionate about the promotion of know-how in a domain of excellence, embodying, in equal measure, determination and modesty.”
Le Drian in his speech also saluted the “remarkable business sense” of Ingie Chalhoub’s achievements in

The Advanced Imaging Society (AIS) announced that it will honor 10 notable women in the technology field as part of the 2018 Technology Awards. The society has also named marketing exec Debbie Menin as its new executive V.P. This year’s innovators will be recognized on Jan. 16 at a luncheon at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel […]

China’s Tencent is banking on a successful launch abroad for ‘Honor of Kings,’ but the hit smartphone game faces an uphill battle in the U.S., where the company can’t lean on its popular messaging apps to hook players.WSJ.com: WSJD

After losing their second child, Shanna, to a congenital heart defect three months after she was born, Jason and Clarissa Osborn of Spanish Fork, Utah, were overjoyed six months later to learn that they were expecting quadruplet daughters with the help of infertility treatments.

Through baby showers put on by friends and family, they filled their home with four of everything: four bassinets, four high chairs, four strollers, four car seats and case after case of formula and diapers.

Then, on June 11 this summer, they were hit once again with heartache.

Clarissa, 28, went into labor in her 23rd week of pregnancy, requiring an emergency C-section. Kylie, Ellie, Savannah and Lexi, who were each born weighing less than one pound, all died within three days of each other.

“We were able to say goodbye to them all, and we were grateful for that,” Jason, 32, who works in human resources for Nestle, tells PEOPLE. “But after already losing one daughter, to lose another four was heart-wrenching. I kept thinking, ‘Why all four? Couldn’t just one have made it?’ It was extremely difficult to realize that none of them were coming home.”

“I knew that it would be emotionally hard to go home and see all of those baby things piled up,” adds Clarissa, a homemaker, with one son, Carter, 4. “So we arranged to have somebody come and get everything and donate it to families who have babies born with heart defects like Shanna, through a charity called Intermountain Healing Hearts. It was important to us to pay it forward somehow.”

Now the Osborns have decided to honor the five daughters they lost within 11 months an additional way: They started the Shanna K. Osborn Foundation to award $ 500 educational scholarships every year to college students who have survived heart defects.

“We wanted our daughters to go to college, so this is a way for us to follow some other young people through their journey and support them, even though we don’t have our little girls,” Jason tells PEOPLE. “It’s a way to keep them in our lives and keep their memories alive, and bring smiles instead of pain.”

The Osborns, who met when they were attending college at Brigham Young University-Idaho, dreamed of having a large family after they married in 2010. Then, shortly after their son was born in 2013, Clarissa developed brain tumors that required radiation treatment and affected her ability to conceive naturally again.

Through IUI (intrauterine insemination) treatment, Clarissa was soon pregnant with Shanna and discovered at her 20-week ultrasound that her daughter didn’t have pulmonary and aortic arteries. “We were told she would require open heart surgery a few days after she was born,” she tells PEOPLE.

Born four months later on April 17, 2016, Shanna spent a month in the hospital after surgery, then the Osborns took her home to meet her older brother.

“Carter got to love on her and was thrilled to have a little sister,” says Clarissa. “Things were going well. Then one Sunday morning, we awoke to a cry we had never heard before.”

She and Jason ran to check on Shanna, who felt cold to the touch. Minutes later, the infant stopped breathing, so Jason performed CPR until paramedics arrived to race her to the hospital. “They tried and tried to resuscitate her,” says Clarissa, “but it was too late.”

To endure four times the sorrow with the deaths of the quads was numbing, she says, with her and Jason waking up daily to “raw hearts and pain.”

Overwhelming support from family, friends and strangers who learned about their plight on a Facebook page they’d started to remember their daughters, “helped pull us through and made us realize we still had a lot of living to do,” Jason tells PEOPLE.

“There are tough nights when we wish we still had our five little girls,” he says, “so it’s therapeutic to talk about them and remember the brief time they were with us and felt our love. Remembering that has been very healing.”

WINDOW WORLDS: Regular passers-by of the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris from across the past three decades will be familiar with the traffic-stopping, fantasy windows of Leïla Menchari for the Hermès flagship.
Paying tribute to the Tunisian designer’s love of craft and materials, the French leather goods house this fall is to dedicate a much bigger window to her work with a series of eight tableaux conceived by scenographer Nathalie Crinière in collaboration with Menchari set to go on display at the Grand Palais.
Titled “Hermès à tire-d’aile – Les mondes de Leïla Menchari,” which loosely translates as “The Hermès Worlds of Leïla Menchari,” the exhibition is set to run from Nov. 8 to Dec. 3.
A graduate of the Beaux-Arts, Menchari started working under Hermès’ former head of windows, Annie Beaumel, in the early Sixties. She took over designing the house’s windows from 1978 to 2013, working with a number of artisans from the Hermès universe and beyond, ranging from stone-cutters to sculptors, while also directing the Hermès color committee.
Windows created by Menchari have included giant waves crafted from marble, fantasy Kelly bags made out of metal, multicolored saddles with wings and a Paris-themed window with monuments in organza.
An accompanying 432-page tome,

Warren Beatty has been selected for a tribute by the Screenwriters Colony, a Massachusetts-based non-profit residency and mentorship program that supports emerging writers. Beatty will be honored at the group’s fifth Annual Summer Soiree on July 22 at Almanack Arts Colony in Nantucket, Mass. Sarah Treem, creator of the Showtime series “The Affair” and an… Read more »

Performing at New York City’s Apollo Theater in any capacity is always an exhilarating experience for Cedric the Entertainer.

For his latest act, “The Original King of Comedy” will host the world-renowned theater’s 12th annual Spring Gala on Monday. The benefit event, which is the Apollo’s biggest fundraiser for artistic and education programs, will feature musical performances from the likes of CeeLo Green, Sheila E., Charlie Wilson and Wé McDonald of NBC’s “The Voice.”

The celebration will also honor Verizon with the annual Corporate Award for its philanthropy, and Peabody Award-winning director and producer Stan Lathan with the Trailblazer Award for his groundbreaking work as one of the first African American directors and producers in Hollywood.

Cedric told HuffPost that his experiences working with his mentor Lathan on shows like “The Steve Harvey Show,” “The Soul Man” and “Def Comedy Jam” taught him how to transcend urban comedy boundaries and become a business-savvy comedian.

“With Stan being on the forefront on the whole ‘Def Comedy Jam’ movement with Russell [Simmons] and all the guys who created the show, it gave urban comedy an opportunity to be seen in its rarest forms,” the St. Louis native said. “Being a part of so many great comedians getting their shine, he had that comfortability with it. It goes back with Stan to legends like Redd Foxx and being a part of their careers.”

“Especially in a TV environment with him, he was one to really help you, motivate and encourage you to push for your money,” he continued, “[or] let you know when it’s not gonna work for you in this brand of television. Like, ‘That might be funny on HBO, but you can’t do that on The WB.’ That’s the kind of ways he would influence you.”

For Apollo Theater President and CEO Jonelle Procope, having the award-winning comedian participate in honoring Lathan’s career continues theApollo’s legacy as a center that recognizes thought leaders in the creative field who have pushed the arts forward.

”We are honored to present Stan Lathan … with the first-ever Trailblazer Award, recognizing his groundbreaking work as one of the first African-American directors and producers in Hollywood,” Procope told HuffPost in a statement. “Stan not only paved the way for other African-American artists, but he also created a platform for emerging artists, particularly comedians.”

“So a comedy legend like Cedric The Entertainer is the perfect person to host this year’s Gala because he can truly appreciate Stan’s contributions to the arts and especially comedy,” she added.

“These are rare circumstances where young people are being encouraged and motivated to not only be in front of the stage, but because they work hard can be behind the scenes as well,” Cedric the Entertainer said. Lighting engineers, set designers. And so, this is the kind of programming that is very important.”

NEW YORK — The Accessories Council has revealed this year’s winners for the annual ACE Awards. Topping the list are Betsey Johnson, who will pick up the Style Icon Award; Kendra Scott, this year’s Breakthrough Award winner; Jessie Randall whose Loeffler Randall company will be honored as Brand of the Year, and Monica Rich Kosann, who will take home the Trailblazer Award.
This year’s Fashion and Technology Award will be given to the Black Eyed Peas musician and entrepreneur Will.i.am. His pursuits range from working with Apple Music’s Jimmy Iovine, coaching on “The Voice Kids,” acting as a strategic board adviser for Atom, the app-based bank. Joseph Altuzarra will be honored with the Designer of the Year Award. After Kering took a minority stake in the business in 2013, the designer delved into leather goods, followed by footwear and handbags. As a sign of Altuzarra’s confidence in the category, accessories and leather goods were spotlighted in the brand’s fall campaign.
The Retailer of the Year honoree will be Shopbop and chief executive officer Darcy Penick will be front-and-center to pick it up. The 21st annual ACE Awards event will be held Aug. 7 at Cipriani 42nd Street. This year’s Legacy Award will be

Twenty young recipients traveled to St. James’s Palace to receive the Legacy Award set up by the Diana Award charity to recognize the “monumental impact” they have made on society.

Among the remarkable stories of social activism and selfless volunteering was that of Mercy Ngulube, 18, from Cardiff, Wales, “who has used her own personal painful experience of stigma and discrimination to drive her commitment and pursuit of equality for young people living with HIV,” the charity says. Mercy, who was born with HIV, has campaigned against the stigma of HIV and AIDS often anonymously by using “social media to counter and correct online misinformation about HIV and challenge negativity and ignorance.”

The Inaugural Legacy Award recognises young people who have carried out inspiring work without expecting a reward. pic.twitter.com/HfjpkT6zqr

She is the current chairman of Children’s HIV Association Youth Committee that campaigns on behalf of young people living with HIV and met Harry in Durban at an international conference on HIV and AIDS.

One of the judges on the panel s Julia Samuel, Founder Patron of Child Bereavement UK and a friend Diana, who said she “was humbled by reading the extraordinary achievements of every young person who was nominated for this award.”

“The winners are truly inspirational — often coming from extremely difficult circumstances. It left me feeling profoundly hopeful for our future knowing these young people will be part of that future and our future leaders.”

Tessy Ojo, the Diana Award’s chief executive, added, “Today is about two things; celebrating young people for their selfless contribution to society, their courage and bravery, sometimes in the face of adversity and demonstrating to young people that we, as a collective, value them.”

In addition to meeting Diana’s sons at the palace, the winners will be able to access the Diana Award’s development program that helps enhance their skills in four key areas of leadership, community development, social entrepreneurship and technology for good.

This included works such as Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam,” a piece painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel that thousands of people visit each year. Rosales told HuffPost that early exposure to famous paintings such as the Creation “helped to define” her understanding of the world.

“It was only later when I realized that the frame that was set by the masters excluded so much more than it included,” she added. “What was included was a Eurocentric view of the world, and in this case, the heavens. What was excluded was all the rest of us.”

She said that realization sparked the conception of her painting, “The Creation of God,” which she posted to Instagram and Twitter last week. The image has since received thousands of likes and shares.

The oil-on-canvas painting that took two months to create replaces white male figures that represent Jesus, God and angels with black women.

“The point here is to consider why we have accepted our historical representation of the beginning of life, of the Creator,” Rosales said.

“Does this original representation exclude something very important? Yes, and yes. Women, and people of color. I wanted people to consider creation through a different lens — a tinted one, if you will — that in turn would cause us to consider the way we see everything else we have been taught to see.”

“People do not like change. They are afraid of it. Some will simply not accept this piece,” she told HuffPost. “Some will see this as literal and quote the Bible to prove how ‘wrong’ this image is. It will show that people of color still are not seen as equal, let alone superior.”

Underwood co-wrote the 2010 Play On song about the evolving relationship between mothers and daughters. ” ‘Mama’s Song’ definitely reflects my mom and I’s relationship. Hopefully a lot of moms and daughters can relate to this too,” the singer said in an interview on her YouTube channel. Underwood’s husband Mike Fisher and her mother, Carole Underwood, both appeared in the music video.

3. Taylor Swift: “The Best Day”

” ‘The Best Day’ is a song that I wrote without telling my mom,” Swift told Taste of Country of her 2008 Fearless track. “I wrote it in the summertime, and I recorded it secretly, too. I had this idea that I wanted to play it for her for Christmas. So when I got the track I synced up all of these home videos from when I was a little kid to go along with the song like a music video, and played it for her on Christmas Eve and she was crying her eyes out.”

4. Beyoncé: “Ring Off”

In 2014’s “Ring Off,” Beyoncé celebrates mom Tina Lawson‘s newfound independence following her divorce from Mathew Knowles. The song was included on the deluxe release of her self-titled album.

5. Blake Shelton: “The Baby”

” ‘The Baby’ is based on the true story of Michael White and the relationship he had with his mother. He wrote the song ,” Shelton told CMT of his 2003 tear-jerker hit. “As far as my life is concerned, it is true up until the part where the mother passes away. I am the baby of the family, and I moved away when I was 17, and I was away from home when I turned 21, and up until now it has paralleled my life.”

“But the one thing that it teaches me, and hopefully everyone who hears the song, is not to take your family for granted, and try to at least stay in touch with them,” he added.

6. Madonna: “Promise to Try”

The music icon co-wrote the somber Like a Prayer ballad about her mother Madonna Louis Ciccone, who died of breast cancer when the star was five. In her 1991 Rockumentary Madonna: Truth of Dare, “Promise to Try” plays as she visits her mother’s grave in Detroit.

7. Drake: “You & The 6”

Drake directly addresses mom Sandi Graham in “You & The 6,” off his 2015 album If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late. “The 6” refers to his hometown of Toronto.

8. Chance The Rapper: “Hey Ma”

“Hey Ma” gives Chance the opportunity to thank his own mother, Lisa Bennet, for surviving his adolescent misbehavior. The song comes off of the rapper’s 2012 mixtape 10 Day, which is named after the 10-day high school suspension during which he began working on the collection.

9. The Beatles: “Julia”

The White Album song was named after John Lennon’s mother, Julia Lennon, who died in a traffic accident when he was 17. The singer-songwriter’s 1970 track, “Mother,” also deals with his and Julia’s complicated relationship.

10. Mac Miller: “I’ll Be There”

Miller included an ode to his mother on 2011’s Best Day Ever. “My mom and I have been through a lot of s—. Me taking it upon myself to follow this dream, it caused a lot of problems with me and my mom on our day-to-day relationship. I feel like my mom is one of the best moms ever — how I’m sure everyone else feels. So I wanted to make a song speaking on that,” he said of “I’ll Be There,” he said, according to Genius.

11. Billy Joel: “Rosalinda’s Eye’s”

Joel‘s mother, Rosalind Nyman Joel, and their family history inspired this 52nd Street tune. Rosalind died in 2014 at 92 years old.

The Hamptons International Film Festival will honor actress Julie Andrews with the Lifetime Achievement Award as part of its 25th anniversary festival, running Columbus Day weekend from Oct. 5-9. The awards presentation will take place Oct. 7 after a screening of Oscar-winning film “Victor/Victoria,” which stars Andrews, presented by HIFF and the Academy of Motion… Read more »

HONOR ROLL: François Pinault was promoted to the Dignity of the Great Cross in the Legion of Honor, France’s highest civilian distinction, on Easter Sunday.
The French luxury titan had been made a Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor on New Year’s Day in 2012.
Last November, as reported, the Italian government honored Pinault for his support for Italian luxury brands and his contribution to the art world, namely through his Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana contemporary art museums in Venice.
Pinault founded the luxury conglomerate Kering, which is now headed by his son François-Henri Pinault.

The annual Creative Time gala will honor Opening Ceremony founders Carol Lim and Humberto Leon this year.
The 2017 edition will take place on May 3 at City Point in Brooklyn. The gala, which celebrates “the institution that, since its inception, has been at the forefront of socially engaged public art,” according to Creative Time, has chosen to honor the Opening Ceremony duo for their support of both fashion and artists, and their frequent collaborations with creatives including Yoko Ono, Robert Mapplethorpe, Rob Pruitt, Ryan McGinley, Tom Sachs, Rene Magritte and Aurel Schmidt.
“Humberto and Carol are visionary creatives,” said Creative Time executive director Katie Hollander. “Their support for emerging talent and their collaborations with artists are of a kind with our own mission, and we couldn’t be happier to be honoring them at this year’s gala. They are, in a very real sense, artists themselves.”
Food at the gala will be provided by Mission Chinese, which is where the Leon recently threw a party during New York Fashion Week. The host committee is made up of Ono, Chloë Sevigny, Alix Browne, Spike Jonze, Megan Ellison, Justin Peck, Brian Phillips, Fabienne Stephan, Lily Johnson White and Cian Browne. The gala committee includes Waris Ahluwalia, Patrick Li, Suzanne Cochran, Stephanie

For Honor’s combat is the kind of brutal melee I always wanted, but never thought I’d actually get to play. Its third-person action-game exterior hides a strategically complex fighting game, mixing team-based action with less interesting solo modes, all built on the most flexible and technically complete melee fighting system I’ve ever experienced.

For Honor lives and dies on its fighting system, dubbed “The Art of Battle” by Ubisoft, and it’s the reason For Honor is more like a traditional fighting game in the vein of Street Fighter or Soul Calibur than the hack-and-slash Dynasty Warriors it appears to be at first glance. Locking onto an opponent puts you into “duel mode,” for lack of a better term, where you can change your guard to block left, right, or top. You can block incoming attacks from the direction you’re guarding, and you have to read which direction your opponent is guarding and attack from one of the two directions from which they’re vulnerable to successfully hit.

Many D.C. marchers proudly held signs calling for affordable and accessible reproductive healthcare for women. From the age-old rallying cry of “My body, my choice,” to more creative slogans such as “Leave your rosaries off my ovaries,” each sign was an important reminder of the positive impact Roe v. Wade had on so many women’s lives.

Here are 14 of our favorite:

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

More than one month after Alan Thicke‘s sudden death, the late star’s son Robin Thicke is set to honor his father at the upcoming NHL100 Gala taking place during NHL All-Star Weekend, PEOPLE confirms exclusively.

According to a press release, Robin — who is currently in a contentious custody battle with ex-wife Paula Patton — will give “special heartfelt remarks” and introduce Five for Fighting’s Jon Ondrasik, who will perform and pay tribute to the late members of the 100 greatest players of the NHL.

The Growing Pains star – who suffered a fatal heart attack while playing hockey with his 19-year-old son, Carter —will also be honored over the 2017 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend during the All-Star Celebrity Shootout event, a hockey game pitting a team of NHL stars against celebrities from film, television and music.

Both teams will wear jerseys that feature a patch dedicated to Alan, who was a lifelong hockey fan. After the event, the jerseys will be auctioned for Echoes of Hope, a nonprofit that benefits at-risk and emancipated foster youth.

Jon Hamm is set to host the star-studded gala honoring the best players to ever skate in the rink, and John Legend will also make a special appearance during the Geico-sponsored event.

The 90-minute event will be broadcast live from Microsoft Theater on Jan. 27 at 6:30 p.m. PST on NBCSN in the U.S. and Sportsnets and TVAS in Canada. Tickets to the event are available here.

Last night, after word spread that pop star George Michael died at the age of 53, I sent out several tweets honoring the man who meant a lot to me as a queer young man who came out in the late ‘90s. My first tweet instructed those unfamiliar with Michael (and the brilliance of what he created) to seek out his music. This was my second tweet:

I suggest we all find a public bathroom wherever we are and go and have sex in it with a stranger tonight to properly honor George Michael.

But shit soon hit the fan. People who thought I was being “disrespectful” and “tacky” and “tasteless” flooded my Twitter mentions. A few people commented “too soon.” Others couldn’t believe that this was the only aspect of his life that I had chosen to concentrate on (which means they obviously didn’t read my aforementioned tweet). How dare I! One person called me “the 2016 of people” (which is actually kind of amazing) and another promised to “piss on my grave” when I died (I mean… don’t threaten my corpse with a good time, right?).

I tried to explain that as a queer, sex-positive man, this part of Michael’s life ― these moments of queer sexuality and his sex life that were made very public ― helped to reorganize and shape how I saw and embraced my own sexuality, which was nothing short of a miracle considering the homophobic and sex-negative culture we live in.

My tweet wasn’t a joke and it wasn’t rude or disrespectful. If you read it that way you’re implying that gay sex ― public or otherwise ― is shameful. I don’t and neither did Michael.

In fact, after the pop star was caught in 1998, he turned the incident into a celebratory song (accompanied by a splendidly self-conscious video featuring a public restroom that turns into a disco and Michael dressed as a cop) about the joys of having sex outside:

After his arrest in a public toilet on a drug-related charge in 2008, he opened up to The Guardian about his love of cruising saying, “the handful of times a year it’s bloody warm enough, I’ll do it.” He added, “It’s a much nicer place to get some quick and honest sex than standing in a bar, E’d off your tits shouting at somebody and hoping they want the same thing as you do in bed.”

No shame. No embarrassment. No mincing of words. Just the truth about what he liked and how he liked it.

In 2011, he playfully quoted his 1987 hit “I Want Your Sex” to tweet a similar message:

I HAVE NEVER AND WILL NEVER APOLOGISE FOR MY SEX LIFE ! GAY SEX IS NATURAL, GAY SEX IS GOOD! NOT EVERYBODY DOES IT, BUT…..HA HA!

So why all of the frantic pearl clutching? Why the attempts to bleach this part of his life from his legacy? Because we like our heroes wearing halos and because gay sex ― public or otherwise ― is still an absolutely terrifying concept for too many people (including some who may support queer rights). It’s seen as disgusting. It’s seen as unnatural. It’s seen as contributing to the downfall of modern civilization. In fact, William Pryor, a man that Donald Trump is considering as a nominee for the United States Supreme Court, believes that consensual gay sex should be illegal ― even in the privacy of one’s own home.

But let’s not forget that the sex acts that gay men engage in aren’t secret satanic practices. It’s the exact same kind of sex that most non-queer people have, just with a different distribution of equipment (and if anyone wants to claim that non-queer people don’t also enjoy blow jobs or butt sex, I’m going to laugh you right off of this planet).

Even scarier and sadder to me than the non-queer people who have a problem with gay sex are the queer people who are up in arms about my tweet. I’ve encountered folks like them before and in some ways, I understand their trepidation and their fear. The general idea is that if we don’t “behave” ourselves ― especially if people like Michael (who represent us in a world where queers are all too often invisible, ignored and/or vilified) don’t ― and quietly assimilate into mainstream society, we won’t be able to keep the rights that we have (and gain more). And so, instead of speaking frankly and honestly about sex ― that tireless boogeyman that has mesmerized and terrorized our society for centuries ― we should just shut up, get married, have kids and stop causing trouble.

But we can’t do that. Our queer fore-parents worked too hard, and too many died, for us to walk away from the dream of sexual liberation for all of us. That means we must not buy into a broken system that is simultaneously obsessed with and panic-stricken by all things sex. It means we must not accept the sexual status quo that all-too-often results in fake piety in the streets and discreet sleaze in the sheets. It means we must not pretend that Michael never had or loved gay sex. Let’s not sanitize him just because it would make it easier for some of us to eulogize him or love him or play his music for our children or our grandparents.

“You only have to turn on the television to see the whole of British society being comforted by gay men who are so clearly gay and so obviously sexually unthreatening. Gay people in the media are doing what makes straight people comfortable, and automatically my response to that is to say I’m a dirty filthy fucker and if you can’t deal with it, you can’t deal with it.”

And before anyone says that I’m claiming public restrooms should become bathhouses or that we should all be pumping our neighbors in the park, I’m not. While I constantly try to question, unpack and challenge why our society feels the way it does about sex and what it deems is OK and what isn’t, I understand that there are currently laws against these activities and I understand why they exist. I’m talking about pushing back against the shame and hysteria that accompanies any kind of discussion of a gay person’s sex life and striving to not view sex or sexuality ― queer or otherwise ― as bad things.

I also want to briefly acknowledge Michael’s long struggle with substance abuse and how it may or may not have played into his sexual appetites and activities. Gay men, drugs and sex have an intimate and complicated history and I don’t want to ignore any of that. But I also refuse to write off his sex positivity or his candor about it as merely a result or symptom of his experiences with drugs.

So, yes, George Michael was an incredible singer and a beautiful songwriter but he was also a gay man who wasn’t ashamed of his sexuality and who loved sex. I want to honor all parts of his life ― the musical and the sexual, the triumphs and the setbacks ― and I refuse to shy away from any of it out of a misguided and incomplete attempt to pay “respect” to his life or his death. Ultimately, the best way I know how to honor him is to talk about who he really was, what he really did and how it changed my life ― and that means all of it, including his hunting for dick in the men’s room.

You’ll be sorely missed, George. Thanks for everything you did ― all of it ― and I hope the men in heaven are as hot as you were and that you’ve found yourself a nice fluffy cloud where you’re already getting into all of the best kinds of trouble.

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

Show off your Matron of Honor and Best Man with these silver and white paper chair signs. This set included a grey distressed sign with Matron of Honor and Best Man printed in white ink. Chair signs come with two ?” wide x 50″ long black satin ribbons. These signs will be perfect for chair decorations, as a banner for wedding ceremony or reception decorations. Features and Facts:Color(s): Grey, White and BlackMaterials:Paper Details: Use signs on one ribbon or two ribbons as a banner, for chair decorations, ceremony or reception decorations, or photo props.Dimensions: 10″ x 8″ wSelling Unit: 1 setMinimum Quantity With Personalization: N/AAssembly Required: Yes
List Price: $ 20.99Price: $ 20.99

PARIS– On the eve of “Allied”‘s Paris premiere, iconic American director Robert Zemeckis received France’s Order of Arts and Letters medal from Culture Minister Audrey Azoulay during an intimate ceremony attended by “Allied” star Marion Cotillard on Saturday. “It’s the first medal I’ve ever received and this is the first time I’ve been acknowledged by… Read more »

Friends! Remember in all your interactions with others today, the qualities of respect, honor, and goodwill. If the other person doesn’t deserve these things, you do deserve them: to respect yourself in word and deed, honor the best within you, and lead the way in goodwill. Neither the weight of the world, nor the demands of national justice should be on your shoulders today. Dig deep. Reach high. Make yourself proud of your own kindness and grace in demeanor, tone, and word.

I’ve already had to turn the other cheek once this morning. I wanted to tell the guy to kiss that cheek, long and hard. But I didn’t. I wished him well and offered a blessing. Remember Polonius and Hamlet, when the prince has just suggested that he treat some men well:
Polonius: My lord, I will use them according to their desert.

Hamlet: God’s bodkins, man, much better! Use every man after his desert, and who should ‘scape hanging? Use them after your own honor and dignity; the less they deserve, the more merit is in your bounty. Take them in.

Let’s set an example today for how a person should act under trying and challenging circumstances. You may hear things that nearly make your blood boil. Overcome them with the power of your inner spirit. That person has likely lost or damaged theirs. You’re the one who can set the example.

Good Wishes for a Great Day. And may God bless America, not in accordance with our merit, but out of the abundance of divine bounty!

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

GPS for the Soul – The Huffington Post
Special News Bulletin-http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

“You’ve been by my side all of my life, and I wouldn’t want you anywhere else, when I become a wife,” she wrote. “I’m so lucky to have you as my brother, and couldn’t imagine celebrating with any other.”

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

Like many other of the lavish evening’s guests, Kim and Kanye approached the Manus x Machina theme with sequins and sparkle. The couple both wore pieces designed by Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing, with Kim going “blingy sexy robot” in her form-fitting gown. Kanye was decidedly dressed down in ripped Fear of God denim (which go for $ 895) and an intricately embellished jacket — paired with an icy pair of blue contact lenses.

In the past, Kanye has made Vogue‘s best dressed list for the annual ball solo — even once included in a photograph with Kim strategically cropped out.

“Thank you Anna for the invite thank you to the whole Vogue team,” West continued on Twitter, before revealing that Kim’s look was the product of some scissor action. “Thank you Olivier for making 4 dresses for Kim to choose from which we chopped 2 in half and thank you for turning my personal jean jacket into a couture piece. Also to Kim’s hair and makeup Lorraine jewelry and the whole style squad at Balmain and the Yeezy team.”

Kim isn’t afraid to hack away at her designer duds, once crafting a co-ordinating crop and skirt from a Dior pink dress. We can’t quite pinpoint what parts of the reality star’s look were dissected, but can imagine the sartorial snipping was meant to show off Kim’s post-baby figure.

Nevertheless, Kanye said the pair had “fun with the ‘future’ theme.”

“It was a fun night all together,” he tweeted.

We just had fun with the “future” theme !!! It was a fun night all together …

Salman Rushdie will visit Pratt Institute’s Brooklyn campus next month to pick up the Norman Mailer Center’s Annual Lifetime Achievement Prize.
Rushdie, who published “Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights” in September, will be the main attraction at the Dec. 10 “Pratt Presents” event, which will be free and open to the public. Presented by Pratt and the Norman Mailer Center, the award will be handed over to the 12-time author by Laurie Anderson in Memorial Hall.
Less-known writers, winners of the 2015 Norman Mailer High School’s Two-Year College, Four-Year College, College Poetry and Teacher Writing Awards will take to the stage to give their own readings. They were selected in partnership with the National Council of Teachers of English.

Don Jaquish‘s beloved wife, Babette, of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of cancer, back in 2006, according to ABC News. Sadly, she died late last year.

Babette was a huge fan of sunflowers, so Don honored her in the most fitting way possible — by planting a giant stretch of sunflowers for her. They bloomed this month and Don plans to harvest and sell the seeds to help benefit cancer patients as part of his organization Babbette’s Seeds of Hope, ABC News reported.

“She got to be known as the sunflower lady of the community,” Don told ABC News of his wife. “So after she passed away, I thought it would be a tribute to her to plant 4.5 miles of sunflowers on each side of Highway 85.”

The “sunflower strip” covers the land of five different farms, KARE 11 reported. Don, who planted the flowers over a span of a week, was able to rent land from his neighbors at a reasonable price to complete the project.

He told ABC News that it was Babbette who originally came up with the idea of selling sunflower seeds and donating a portion of the proceeds to cancer research. About a month after his wife’s death, Don formed Babbette’s Seeds of Hope. Through the group, he’ll sell the seeds in bags, which will soon be available for purchase, with Babbette’s face on them along with her story printed on them. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to hospitals, research and patient advocacy, according to the company’s website.

It’s something the loving husband says would’ve made his wife proud.

“I think she would be smiling,” Don told ABC News. “We had an amazing response. We’ve had people all over the world send emails.”

While the sunflowers took a lot of time and effort to plant, Don says it was all worth it — especially for a woman whose spirit matched the beauty of the flowers.

“They fit her personality,” the widower told KARE11. “She’d walk into a room and her smile would light up a whole room.”

Months after her Babbette’s death, Don found a note from his wife stuck in a folder. In light of the sunflowers and their seeds, her words certainly ring true.

There was no horsing around for this man, who stopped at nothing to honor a fellow veteran.

Richard Kowalker, a 66-year-old from Middletown, Connecticut, often attends veteran funerals with his “riderless horses” as part of a tradition to honor a soldier’s service. In this custom, a horse with boots set backwards and no rider in the saddle follows the casket.

The 66-year-old, who served as a Marine in Vietnam, was set to attend a funeral for World War II veteran Norman Varney this past Saturday. But the night before, he realized that his horse trailer was damaged and he would be unable to cart his horses there. That setback didn’t stop Kowalker, however; he alternately walked and rode the two horses through the night, traveling more than 15 miles to make it to the funeral, WSFB reported.

“The Marine Corps motto is “semper fidelis” — Latin for ‘always faithful.’ … I have a lifelong commitment to adhere to. Once a Marine, always a Marine,” Kowalker told The Huffington Post in an email. “Sgt. Norman Varney was at Iwo Jima in World War II, the most famous battle in Marine Corps history. I considered it an honor to be in the presence of such people. … I am quite sure he would have done the same for me if the situation was reversed.”

The extraordinary gesture touched many and a fundraising page was created to help pay for a new horse trailer. Donors have already doubled the original goal, raising more than $ 4,000 for Kowalker.

Police from different towns along the walk escorted him during his trek, according to the fundraising page. Later on, Ken Yavis, who owns a horse trailer, spotted Kowalker, his horse, Melody, and his friend’s horse, Sassy, WFSB reported. Yavis got his own trailer and helped Kowalker for the rest of the way, allowing the animals to take a break at his house and eventually bringing them to the service.

Yavis, like many others, was moved by Kowalker’s devotion.

“I never got a chance to serve,” Yavis told WFSB. “But someone like that who continues to give, you have to help him.”

For the humble Kowalker, his actions weren’t anything out of the ordinary.

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

GPS for the Soul – The Huffington Post
Special News Bulletin-http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

Calling all Father of the Bride fans! Planning a wedding? Don’t send dad running wildly for the hot dog buns.

Just in time for Father’s Day (which also happens to fall right in the middle of wedding season), here are a few ideas for honoring Dad on the big day. No need to stick to tradition – there are countless ways to include the father figure in your life that don’t include walking you down the aisle.

A Special Note in the Program
Including a sweet note to your dad in the wedding program will not only give him a precious memory he can physically hold onto, but it’s a great way to honor him on the big day. That special, public shout-out will give him some widespread recognition for the role he has played and the ways in which he has influenced you.

Father-Daughter Photos
It is common for couples to do first look photos before the wedding, so why not do a quick series of pre-ceremony photos with your dad? You can share some sweet one on one time together before you walk down the aisle and the photos will help you remember those precious moments forever. Pop a favorite photo in a frame for a great future Father’s Day gift!

Share a Secret Toast
Those final moments before the wedding can be nerve-wracking. An intimate toast with just your dad is a great way to calm your nerves before the ceremony begins and the festivities whisk you away.

Have Dad Officiate
The wedding officiant is such a meaningful role – why not give the honor to your dad? Having dad, or your future father-in-law, perform your wedding ceremony will surely make for an emotional and memorable day for all!

Invite Dad to do a Reading
If you’d prefer to have a rabbi, priest, minister or other loved one officiate, but still want your father involved in the ceremony, invite him do a reading. It can be a poem, a scripture, something he wrote or even a passage from a favorite childhood book. Your dad will still feel included without having to take on the responsibility of getting ordained and officiating.

Keep his Memory Close
Dad can’t be with you for the big day? Keep his memory close by tying a miniature framed photo to your bouquet, mentioning him in the program or playing his favorite song on the dance floor.

Among gay audiences, Judy Garland is one of few performers who never seems to go out of style.

New York singer-actress Bridget Barkan proved that point at 2014’s “Night of a Thousand Judys” when she crooned a tender version of “As Long as He Needs Me,” which was introduced in the Broadway musical “Oliver!” and performed by Garland on her television series, “The Judy Garland Show,” in 1963.

Now in its fifth year, “Night of a Thousand Judys” — which is a special presentation of New York- and Los Angeles-based actor, writer and performer Justin Sayre’s variety show, “The Meeting,” and timed to coincide with LGBT Pride Month — will benefit the Ali Forney Center, an advocacy group dedicated to homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) teens and young adults.

As in previous installments, performers from Broadway, television and downtown cabaret will hit New York’s Merkin Concert Hall at the Kaufman Center June 1 to croon songs made famous by Garland during her fabled career. The 2015 lineup includes Melissa Errico, Liz Callaway, Michael McElroy, Lauren Worsham and The Skivvies, among others.

Sayre interviewed Ali Forney Center founder Carl Siciliano for his “Sparkle & Circulate with Justin Sayre” podcast. You can check that out here.

Since — as they say — a picture’s worth a thousand words, we’d like to pay homage to every mom with a collection of artworks that put mothers on parade. Behold, the beautiful mommas of art history, from the woman who birthed Whistler to a Pieta to a massive sculpture of a spider dedicated to mamans everywhere.

During a celebratory weekend in California, Oprah gathers extraordinary men and women of civil rights, arts and entertainment together for a historic portrait shoot. Find out why she chose this time to honor these 14 legends.

Find OWN on TV at http://www.oprah.com/FindOWN

SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/1vqD1PN

A month-long celebration in January honoring civil rights legends who paved the way as we approach the 50th anniversary of the historic Selma to Montgomery marches led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that changed the trajectory of America forever.

About OWN:
Oprah Winfrey Network is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. Oprah Winfrey’s heart and creative instincts inform the brand — and the magnetism of the channel.

Winfrey provides leadership in programming and attracts superstar talent to join her in primetime, building a global community of like-minded viewers and leading that community to connect on social media and beyond. OWN is a singular destination on cable. Depth with edge. Heart. Star power. Connection. And endless possibilities.

Connect with OWN Online:
Visit the OWN WEBSITE: http://bit.ly/1qMi2jE
Like OWN on FACEBOOK: http://on.fb.me/1AXYujp
Follow OWN on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/1sJin8Y
Follow OWN on INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/LnqzMz
Follow OWN on PINTEREST: http://bit.ly/1u0CqR6

Why Now Is the Time for Oprah to Honor Civil Rights Legends | #Selma50 | Oprah Winfrey Network
http://www.youtube.com/user/OWNUploads by OWN TV

Matt Bomer made his way into our hearts in 2009 when he appeared in the first episode of White Collar, and since then our lives haven’t been the same. So you can understand that we’re more than a little upset that the hit TV show is ending its five-year run tonight when the series finale airs at […]InStyleMillionaireMatch.com – the best dating site for sexy, successful singles!

LOS ANGELES, June 29 (Reuters) – R&B star Pharrell, rapper Nicki Minaj and newcomer August Alsina led the winners at the Black Entertainment Television (BET) awards on Sunday, which also honored veteran soul singer Lionel Richie. Pharrell kicked off the show with “Come Get It Bae” and won two awards, including best male R&B/pop artist. Beyonce was named best female R&B/pop singer, and closed the show with a sultry performance of “Partition” with husband Jay Z. The couple also won best collaboration for “Drunk In Love.” Richie, 65, received the lifetime achievement award for his prolific career as part of Motown group The Commodores and as a solo artist. “Soul is a feeling, not a color. Talent is a god given gift and not a category, and out of the box is the magical place where true talent goes to thrive and breathe,” Richie said as he accepted the award. John Legend, Ledisi and Yolanda performed Richie’s classic love songs “Hello”, “Still” and The Commodores’ “Brick House” and “Jesus is Love”. Richie sang “Easy” and “All Night Long”. The BET awards, held in Los Angeles, celebrates black musicians, actors and athletes. It is hosted by cable TV network Black Entertainment Television, part of Viacom Inc., and the show was preceded by violence at unofficial parties ahead of the show in which one person was killed. New Orleans singer Alsina was named best new artist and Lil Wayne’s rap collective Young Money scored best group. Drake won best male hip hop artist, but was not available to collect his award. Minaj was named best female hip hop artist and threw a little dig at other rappers by saying: “When you hear Nicki Minaj spit, Nicki Minaj wrote it.” Comedian Chris Rock hosted the show, throwing jokes and jibes and handing out chicken and waffles to the audience. The almost four-hour ceremony toplined high-profile performances from some of the music world’s biggest names. Usher referenced his 20-year career with a medley of his hits, Minaj performed “Pills N’ Potions” on a stage with giant psychedelic mushrooms and R&B star Chris Brown joined Lil Wayne to perform “Loyal”. Australian newcomer Iggy Azalea joined rapper T.I. to perform “No Mediocre” and her hit single “Fancy”. The show also served up 1990s nostalgia with R&B groups Troop, Color Me Badd and Silk singing a medley of classic hits. Oscar-winning historical drama “12 Years A Slave” swept the film categories with Oscar-winning newcomer Lupita Nyong’o named best actress and Chiwetel Ejiofor named best actor. Neither were on hand to accept their awards. Civil rights activist Myrlie Evers-Williams accepted the humanitarian award commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act signed into law in 1964. Sportswoman and sportsman of the year went to tennis star Serena Williams and basketball player Kevin Durant respectively. (Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Sandra Maler and Miral Fahmy)Entertainment – The Huffington Post
Entertainment News-Visit Adults Playland today for the hottest adult entertainment online!

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ellen DeGeneres, Steve Harvey and the soap opera “The Young and the Restless” were among the 41st annual Daytime Emmy winners.

“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” received its eighth trophy as outstanding entertainment talk show at the awards ceremony Sunday in Beverly Hills. The “Steve Harvey” show was honored as outstanding informative talk show, while Harvey won as best game show host for “Family Feud.”

CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” captured six awards, including honors for best drama series and best lead actor for star Billy Miller. Eileen Davidson of NBC’s “Days of Our Lives” was named best drama series actress.

ABC’s “Good Morning America” won the best morning program Emmy.

The Daytime Emmys introduced new awards for Spanish-language shows. Trophies went to Telemundo’s “Un Nuevo Dia” as best morning program, to CNNE’s “Clix” as best entertainment show and to Rodner Figueroa of Univision’s “El Gordo y la Flaca” as best daytime talent in Spanish.

CBS, which received eight creative arts Daytime Emmys for technical achievements at a ceremony last week, emerged as the network leader with a total of 14 awards after Sunday’s ceremony.

PBS received a combined 13 awards, with six for HUB Network; five for TOLN.com; four for ABC and three for NBC.

The ceremony, which aired on the cable news channel HLN last year and in 2012 after losing its longtime home on the broadcast networks, this year settled for streaming the proceedings online. The change in fortune reflects the dwindling daytime audience and programming shifts.